Caskey aiming for unbeaten run to continue

RETURNING: Lock Campbell Hart returns to the fray for Steelform Wanganui against Buller, while Sam Madams and Craig Clare are back from injury to sit on the bench and be called for impact duty.

Steelform Wanganui Heartland coach Jason Caskey is confident the homework has been done to retain the team's unbeaten record when it meets Buller in the penultimate game of round robin play in Westport today.

The match is an important fixture and may yet decide who gets a home semi-final in two weeks time with the top of the points table looking quite tight.

Wanganui leads the championship with its unbeaten run giving 29 points. South Canterbury is second on 27, while Buller sits on 25 with five wins and a loss to its credit.

Interestingly, Buller's only loss was by two points to South Canterbury in week one, while South Canterbury's only defeat was at the hands of Wanganui by two points.

Caskey has the luxury of injured and unavailable players returning to the fray this weekend.

Lock Campbell Hart starts today after missing last week due to a wedding committment, while injured players Sam Madams and Craig Clare are named on the bench, although Clare has been bracketed with first five Dane Whale. Winger Simon Dibben remains on the injured list.

"I've got pretty much a full complement apart from Simon, he's still not quite right yet," Caskey said yesterday.

"We had a couple of really good training runs this week and I'm happy we've done enough. The aim has always been to retain the unbeaten record and secure a home semi and then hopefully a home final - that's the aim, anyway."

Westport too has been receiving the rain sweeping across the country this week suggesting a wet track for day's match.

Barry Townrow, who is game commentator for the local Coastal FM and provides a written match report for the Westport News, predicted slippery surface, rather than a bog.

Caskey believes that would impact more on Buller's game than Wanganui's.
"Their backline led by James Lash may struggle to get things moving in the conditions.
Lash is probably the best first five in the competition. They tend to kick for territory quite a lot if their attacking game is not coming off.

"We've done our homework and I'm confident we can contain them and take the win," Caskey said.

The Wanganui team had a tough day travelling yesterday first busing to Palmerston North before flying the Christchurch for a connecting flight to Hokitika and then another bus ride to Wesport.

They left at 11am yesterday and were expected into Westport by 7pm.
Today's game kicks off at the earlier time of 2pm to allow Buller to host Wanganui at a brief aftermatch function before they catch a chartered flight back home this evening.

The teams
Wanganui
Tie Tie Tuimauga, Roman Tutaha, Viki Tofa, Campbell Hart, Gavin Thonrbury, Bryn Hudson, Peter Rowe (capt), Malakai, Volau, Lindsay Horricks, Dane Whale, Michael Nabuliwaqe, Kameli Kuruyabaki, Blake Hohaia, Te Rangitira Waitokia, Ace Malo. (Reserves): Cole Baldwin, Hamish Mellow, Sam Madams, Jamie Hughes, Kane Tamou, Craig Clare, Samu Kubunavanua.

Buller
Logan Mundy, Anthony Ellis, Phil Beveridge, Ciaran Neilsen, David Egelstaff, Blair McIlroy, Luke Brownlee, Daniel Hytongue, Andrew Stphens, James Lash, Penjamini Nabainivalu, Joshua Tuidriva, Petaia Saukuru, Anthony Tailua. (Reserves): Jareth McKay, Glen Duncan, Lochie Elley, Simon Abel, Luke Watson, Thor Manawatu, Matthew Bonisch.